Thierry Henry makes emphatic claim about Lionel Messi's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or

French legend Thierry Henry recently stated that according to him, 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi should win the 2023 Ballon d'Or.

Messi is among the frontrunners to win the Ballon d'Or this year owing to his performances for Argentina and PSG. Journalist Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that he is expected to win the award when the recipient is announced on October 30.

Henry, who played alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona, believes that the 36-year-old star will be a deserving recipient of the award if he eventually wins it. The former Arsenal striker spoke on CBS Sports about the situation, revealing that the Argentine's performance at the World Cup last year puts him in pole position.

"For me, if you win the World Cup the way he did it, and we can talk about what happened in the final obviously as a Frenchman, I was a bit disappointed with how it finished, but you cannot say that it's not also deserved if he wins it. Like a lot of people can pretend and you know the Man City players, Haaland and some of the players can also say why not me. But you can't say that it's not right, if he wins it."

"For me? MESSI! BYE, OVER!"

Thierry Henry chose Lionel Messi over fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, both of whom also impressed in the past year. Messi led his national team to their third FIFA World Cup crown, winning the golden ball for his performances in Qatar.

Lionel Messi set to receive eighth Ballon d'Or

Since receiving his first Ballon d'Or as a 22-year-old in 2010, Lionel Messi has won the award six more times in the past 12 years. The former Barcelona star has consistently been among the best players in world football over the past 15 years.

This year, his triumph at the FIFA World Cup has set him apart as the best player in the world, for many. Messi scored seven goals in the Mundial, becoming the first player in history to score in every round of the tournament.

Lionel Messi broke a number of records en route to winning the World Cup in Qatar. This includes becoming the first player to win the Golden Ball in two editions of the tournament.

Winning the Ballon d'Or is the ultimate dream for every player and Messi has seven of the awards in his locker. While he claimed in an interview with Migue Granados that he does not pay mind to individual awards, winning an eighth will surely be a proud moment for the Argentine.